Published: November 28, 2009 09:43 pm         

HISTORICAL TREASURE: Fisher-Price toys a Christmas dream

TERRE HAUTE — What child wouldn’t be thrilled to wake up on Christmas morning and find a family farm set waiting under the Christmas tree? Between 1968 and 1985, chances are the family farm set would have been made by Fisher-Price.

Fisher-Price, founded in 1930 by Herman Fisher, Irving and Margaret Price, and Helen Schelle, began manufacturing toys in East Aurora, N.Y. The company aimed to produce ingenious toys that offered play value, sturdy construction and affordable prices. Their first toys were made of splinter-resistant ponderosa-pine. When the toy industry started to grow after World War II, plastic became the material of choice for toys.

Over the years, Fisher-Price adapted to numerous changes. Quaker Oats acquired the company in 1969, and the 1970s marked the promotion of Fisher-Price toys in TV advertisements. The Family Farm Set was featured in their early commercials. An audiovisual division was created in 1982, and Mattel acquired Fisher-Price in 1993.

The Family Farm Set, with a barn similar to the one in the Vigo County Historical Museum’s collection, became one of Fisher-Price’s most popular items. The set’s model number, 915, helps date it. Also, it closely resembles the set featured in the 1971 JC Penney catalogue. The barn is red with a masonite base and a white plastic roof. The double doors have white X’s on them, and the left door makes a moo-moo sound when opened. Painted on the inside of the barn are barn mice and a watchful cat. White plastic doors open to the hayloft. An interesting feature on the back of the barn is a circus poster.

The Fisher-Price Little People line was especially popular with children ages 2 to 8, and the Family Farm was the first play-and-carry Little People set. The barn had handles so the young farmer could place all the accessories in it and carry it around. Through the years, various accessories such as a white fence, feed trough, silo and tractor were available with the farm sets. Farm animals included a cow, hen, rooster, horse, sheep and dog. A Little People family of a farmer, his wife, a boy and a girl came with the set.

Museum Director Marylee Hagan found this treasure of a Fisher-Price barn at a yard sale and donated it to the Museum. Those who visit the Museum in December will find it on display in the special Christmas exhibit. The barn is in excellent condition, but it seems that the barn doors were closed after all the animals got out!